


Rewrite The Stars

by lylia9000



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Feels, Character Death, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-10-10 06:35:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20523545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lylia9000/pseuds/lylia9000
Summary: [ IDW Pre-War Megatron X Reader ]"No one can say what we get to be.""It's not up to me.""Why don't we rewrite the stars?""No one can rewrite the stars."There was always more to Megatron than meets the eye. It just took certain eyes to see what it was.(Gender neutral Reader)





	1. Chapter 1

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝙸 𝙻𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝙰 𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙵𝙸𝙽𝙽𝙴𝙰𝚂

" ℕ𝕠 𝕆𝕟𝕖 ℂ𝕒𝕟 𝕊𝕒𝕪 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕎𝕖 𝔾𝕖𝕥 𝕋𝕠 𝔹𝕖

𝕊𝕠 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝔻𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕎𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤? "  


𝕄𝔼𝔾𝔸𝕋ℝ𝕆ℕ made his way hesitantly towards the lower decks of the Lost Light. It wasn't usual that Rung had called for someone to come to his office, often it was the other way around, but the psychologist made it seem almost urgent to meet with him. Even as the ship's co-captain he couldn't ignore the forgettable mech.

Maybe, he thought, it was due to the recent events of Brainstorm's failed time experiment that almost killed him. The event had spooked him quite a bit and for a mech with his reputation. It was unusual to say the least. Maybe Rung had heard of his dramatic reaction and wished to speak about it?

He prayed to Primus not; he didn't do very well with telling about such softer sides of himself. He had a hard time talking about Terminus the first time he met with Rung. How was he supposed to explain himself this time?

You'd think it would be quite simple, but to Megatron it seemed impossible. For someone who lived on the battlefield for the majority of his life, you'd think that maybe he wouldn't be so scared to loose his life. Still, he was only Cybertronian, though nearly immortal, not impossible to wipe the existence of himself from the universe.

As the door to Rung's office slid open, he was greeted by him already sitting in his office chair. "Please, take a seat Megatron... I have a few questions." The psychiatrist said.

Those words alone seemed to unnerve him. Who starts a conversation like that, other than someone who was to twist one's mind? Yet, he still took a seat across from the mech. He trusted Rung, to some degree; well, more than some.

"I'm sure you remember the events of last week? Brainstorm and the time-traveling ordeal?"

Megatron hesitated, looks like they were talking about those events after all. "Yes." He replied. "Hard to forget when half the ship was poisoned."

"Yes, it was quite... memorable." Rung had a lack of other words to describe it. "You see, during my time in the past, I realized that you said you had met me before. At Maccadam's Old Oil House, millions of years ago. Rodimus told me that I had been thrown onto your table."

"It seems we met during the time travel. What a convenient turn of events."

"Yes, I was knocked unconscious." Rung spoke humorlessly. "But, before we fled the scene, I regained my senses. Which begs my next question."

Time slowed around Megatron as he replayed the events of the day of his arrest over and over, looking for what Rung may have wished to ask about. Finally, a series of events, a number of names, and a few familiar faces came to mind. All of which he did not wish to speak about. All of which changed his spark in ways that nothing else could.

"Who is (Y/N)?"

He nearly flinched; Megatron hadn't heard that name in eons. Since before the beginning of his campaign (if he could call it that). Since before the Decepticons became violent.

He remained silent; something Rung took considerable notice of. Still, he pushed on, "I remember them running into the building, calling your name. You called back, and pushed them back outside before the authorities could arrive."

"I know." Megatron whispered, his expression twisting almost painfully. "I know."

"But why did you do that? It was obvious they wanted to help. So, why did you force them outside?" Rung knew the answer, but every word spoken was development for the ex-warmonger.

"I'm sure it looked like that, yes; especially to all of you, but when someone you... care for, runs into the fray; your first reaction should be to protect them, shouldn't it?" He chose his words carefully, as he always did, but nothing could protect him against the vulnerability of their name.

"Care for?" Rung asked. "Similar to Terminus, correct?"

Megatron hesitated, his mouth slightly agape. He knew the answer to that question, but as his optics glazed over, he thought about them in comparison to the old mech. He knew better than to answer him with anything negative, but if he couldn't deny it, and he couldn't confirm it; what was he supposed to do? Primus, what had he ever done without Terminus? Without _you_?

_Start a war._ Those words rang with bitter humor across his mind. Of course he would have. What else was he supposed to do? What else could he have done?_ So many things. So many different things. _

Truly, he wished he didn't have to patronize himself. His guilt built up exponentially with every passing second. This could not have been doing him any good, but he continued to make witty remarks against himself time and time again. Finally, Rung gained his attention again.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to ignore you."

_No one does_, Rung nearly laughed at his own thoughts, but it would have been improper. So, he settled for a smile. "It's alright. You're thinking; take all the time you need."

Megatron supposed he had already taken enough time trying to think of how to speak about them; something which he hasn't done in eons. "I didn't regard them in the same way I did with Terminus." He admitted. "But it was similar." Loosing them both was a scar on his spark that no one and no amount of time could heal.

"Similar in what way?"

It seemed as though very question he didn't wish to answer was being asked. Though Rung deemed it '_healthy_' to speak about these things, Primus, did he wish they were done here. Yet he had only been in the office for 30 minutes at most.

"I cared for them both, but I lost one because of my own faults; my selfishness." He buried his face into his servos.

"(Y/N), I presume, is the latter?" All Rung received was a nod. Still, Megatron refused to say (Y/N)'s name, as if he was afraid to abuse it or taint it with his guilt. He had a long way to go. "Tell me more, please."

The different memories of them ran through Megatron's mind. Every little victory, every day they spent together, all of them flashed before him, as if their time together was finally coming to an end. But he didn't want it to. He wanted to remember them, even if the pain that was paired with it ate away at him. It reminded him that they had existed and wasn't just another faceless casualty in his war for freedom turned tyranny.

They were more than that. (Y/N) was more than just another person lost to his '_cause_' they were the beginning of it. _So was Terminus_. Yet, he lost both of them. He lost the several people who were at the beginning of his journey, those who knew and stood by his original cause. But the universe was less than forgiving; all of them were either ripped away from him or he was a fool and took them for granted. _Soundwave_.

In the matter of seconds, thousands of names followed... _(Y/N), Terminus, Soundwave, Shockwave, Orion Pax, Glitch..._ Just a few of the many who believed in him and it led them to their doom. Slowly for some, but surely.

He failed. He wished for freedom, equality, and justice; truth. Did his war bring about anything but the opposites? Tyranny, factionalism, and crime; lies. He created nothing but lies.

Finally, as the minutes passed, Megatron shook his head. "Maybe another day, Rung." He said.

He couldn't handle more than he already had. He had nearly stopped existing, helped Rodimus and crew time travel, and was reminded of the painful losses. He'd had enough for the day. "Maybe another day."

"We will need to reschedule it. Megatron, this is for your benefit." Rung said, standing his ground against the ex-tyrant.

"I know."

_________________________________________________________

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝙷𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙱𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙴𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑

He stumbled his way back to his habsuite. He could barely hold himself upright mentally, but he was grateful that he didn't encounter anyone on his way back by some miracle. The door sliding open, he realized Ravage was not present at the moment; another blessing. One that he thanked (Y/N) for, strangely. They were always his salvation during his darkest times. A salvation that was short lived. They died far too young.

Their death hit Megatron hard when he first heard of the news. He refused to believe it for years, as a body was never found, but centuries and centuries of struggling without (Y/N) and he realized that it no longer mattered whether or not they were still alive. They were gone and if they had disappeared, died, or abandoned him, it didn't matter. He had to continue.

Yet, he could hear their voice, echoing his own saying.

_"Say it with me._"

_"What? But... are you sure? It is_ your_ saying after all, I wouldn't want people to think that-"_

_"Nonsense, (Y/N). Say it with me."_

"I still function." He muttered.

He found himself saying it unconsciously as well, praying that he believed in his own words. The problem was, as the eons passed, he believed it less and less, but most prominently after he lost them. After he lost_ you_.

Primus, why couldn't he get them out of his mind? Was this some sort of self-torture? Some sort of guilt trip he put himself through? What for? It wouldn't correct any of his past mistakes.

More and more images of them came rushing through his mind, the stars passing him by as he remembered similar constellations.

_"Look! You can almost see the Manganese Mountains from here!" _

_"Hardly, (Y/N). We're on Luna 2."_

_"Exactly! You'd never think it would be so close, yet so far." _

_"How does that have anything to do with the stars?"_

_"Well, just think about it; we're this close to Cybertron and on the moon, but imagine traveling to different worlds! Like the colonies or - or the mining planets far from here!"_

_"What about them?"_

_"Wouldn't it be amazing if we could travel out there? Beyond our stars? See what else this universe has to offer? It's like you said; Cybertron, Luna 2, the Functionists, the Senate... they're all quite terrible. Wouldn't it be great to escape it all?"_

_"Yes, yes it would."_

He could hardly remember how the conversation began, only that it ended with him swearing to free them from the shackles of their society. A promise that backfired and caused their death in chains. Slowly he began to spiral downwards. Every life changing event played through his mind, but he could never use only one to explain what they meant to him. Rung may have to wait longer than expected.

Although, it wasn't as if he wasn't already sulking in his habsuite everyday since the Brainstorm incident. Contemplating life as a whole - his choices, what could've been, and what actually happened - it was all so stressful. He was an ex-tyrant, why were all of these memories coming to him all at once? Was it all of the centuries he spent shoving his emotions into a corner to further his cause? Was it finally catching up to him, as karma often did? No one could really say.

Hours upon hours passed, each of them leading to the same conclusion. Megatron couldn't simply tell about one incident between himself and (Y/N), like he had with Terminus. He would need to tell them all - and nothing could be more terrifying than that. Because with each word he would speak, he would bring another part of them to life. A part that would haunt him; curse him for leaving them behind - for being the cause of their end. Each act of hate against him was more than valid in his eyes.

Because all _you_ were was giving. And all _you_ gave was kindness. Because all _your_ kindness was in **his** name. And it was a name **he** killed.


	2. Chapter 2

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝙻𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚕𝚢 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚆𝚊𝚐𝚗𝚎𝚛

" 𝕊𝕠 𝕎𝕙𝕠 ℂ𝕒𝕟 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡 𝕄𝕖 𝕀𝕗 𝕀 𝔻𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕕𝕖

𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕐𝕠𝕦'𝕣𝕖 𝕄𝕪 𝔻𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕪? "  
  


𝕄𝔼𝔾𝔸𝕋ℝ𝕆ℕ allowed his pedes to lead him to Rung's office, he hoped muscle memory would do him well, as his mind was a bit occupied. Thoughts of them became uncontrollable, he couldn't force himself out of his reminiscing - if he could even call it that. Instead he tried to remember the brighter days they shared. The few filled with smiles as they moved along the surface of the world - something rare for a miner such as himself.

Without realizing it, the door to Rung's office slid open. Rung placed his model Ark back on the shelf with the several other ships, gently laying it in order as he turned around to Megatron. "Nice to see you again, Megatron." He said as he pulled his chair along, "Take a seat and we can resume where we did previously."

In that moment Megatron had forgotten when he had last met with Rung. Had it been a day? A week maybe? It couldn't have possibly been a month - that was absurd. Though, it felt almost like a millennia; his time perception always shifted, even momentarily, when he thought of his past.

Without a word, he moved to take a seat where he had previously; in the same exact position, with a less terrified expression, but the same fears. The fear of resurfacing the unforgivable actions of his past and who was thrown away for his lost cause. But the progress of all living beings was to overcome their fears, whatever they may be.

"I suppose I should begin with answering your question from yesterday." Megatron finally said, cutting through the deafening silence.

Rung did nothing but listen to him, activating his natural reaction of suspicion and uncertainty. Eons of being a warmonger had taken its toll, and he found himself looking desperately for any indications on Rung's face. Nothing betrayed the psychologist's original intentions - to help, but that's what Megatron feared. The unconditional want to help someone - it had been years since he last saw it directed at him - and even then he had quickly stomped it out to the best of his ability.

"The day I met you was the day I was arrested. It was the day that had changed my life in several ways. One of them was because of... because of (Y/N)." He had finally spoken their name, but it felt almost sin to do so.

"I remember the bar fight beginning - a friend of mine - Impactor, had jumped into the fray of it. I remember ducking for cover, hoping the chaos would pass. And then (Y/N) ran in. I was so afraid that they would be harmed in the middle of it all that - that I pushed them back out of the bar.

(Y/N) was more fragile than the normal miner types. They weren't made for mining at all. Their alt-mode betrayed their profession and anyone who saw them working in the mines would assume that they were a criminal put to work, but (Y/N) wasn't. They were forged in the mines and stayed there by choice. They had the chance to move higher along the caste system, but decided against it.

It was natural for me to push them outside, to move them away from the danger. I cared for them and they were... so much younger than I was."

Megatron went silent; allowing for his words to fall over himself and Rung in waves. His head fell into his servos and he found himself staring at the floor in despair. He had been the death of (Y/N) and the truth of it came back to haunt him once again.

When Rung realized his patient was spiraling downwards, he decided to intervene. He almost decided against it, though. Megatron - the level-headed ex-leader of the Decepticons, was falling apart on him and Rung had only a few ideas of what he might do if the psychiatrist dug too deep. Nothing as bad as Whirl, he was sure, but something that may halt their progress; such as stop coming to their appointments.

So he asked a question - yet another that Megatron did not wish to answer. "If (Y/N) was so important to you... why were they not mentioned in your autobiography? Even Terminus had his place in your book - short lived as it may have been, but a place nonetheless."

He hesitated and cursed himself for doing so. Megatron was fully aware of why he didn't place (Y/N) in his book, but the reason had been one of the many steps he took that led him to his place as an ex-warmonger. "Because I knew what others would do." He admitted. "They would use (Y/N) as an advantage over me."

Suddenly Rung's expression shifted - not by much, but it was noticeable. Suddenly, everything clicked together in its intricacies and he had learned that this new level of Megatron had been hidden long before the war. It was his job to understand Megatron; and this forever budded love was one of the keys to do so. He was determined to learn more, but he had to be gentle. It was obvious this side of him had been untouched for eons and even then was still sensitive.

One question remained unanswered to Rung, though. If (Y/N) had known Megatron long before the war, as many of his trusted officers did, then why had no one else mentioned them? Why was it left untouched for so long? And why did it still pain him - even when he lost Terminus, he removed the old mech's name from his book.

_"He taught me not to get attached."_

Those were Megatron's words when he asked why he removed Terminus' name from the dedications. Although, he could not say the same for (Y/N), as they had never been mentioned in Megatron's novel at all. Still, Megatron betrayed his own words. It was obvious he cared much for the people he had to figuratively and literally leave behind.

Terminus and (Y/N) were both lost before the height of the war, but as many of Megatron's closely knit officers were, they too knew Megatron before the war. Had none of them mentioned Terminus or (Y/N)? Had none of them gotten the chance to meet them? Or was it taboo for Decepticons to even mention their names?

"I suppose that's hardly an explanation is it?" Megatron started again. "I... I should explain it from the beginning. I think it's the only way to understand what - what (Y/N) meant to me."

The hesitance in his voice was obvious, but Rung pushed it aside for now. "Continue." He urged.

_________________________________________________________

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝚂𝚊𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙿𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚁𝚘𝚋𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚘𝚗  
  
  


_"Megatron!" Shouted a loud voice from the other side of the tunnel. "Come quickly, look!"_

_"What is it Impactor?" The young miner approached the other. "What did you find this time?"_

_Before Impactor could answer the other's question, Megatron's jaw nearly dropped. Utterly speechless, he pointed to the little bot behind him, optics wide, mouth unhinged, and hoping uselessly for an explanation. All he got in return was a 'shhh' from his friend. _

_"Impactor!" Megatron whispered loudly. "What is _that_!? Why is there a minibot here!?"_

_"Quiet, Megatron! If the supervisors see them, who knows what they'll do!" Impactor tried to usher the smaller bot in front of him. "C'mon kid, introduce yourself." _

_The little (A/C) bot did nothing, only trembled as they rushed to get behind Impactor again. "You have got to be kidding me." The mech mumbled impatiently. "Anyways, this is (Y/N), a newspark, not a minibot."_

_"Where in the _Pits_ did you get a newspark!? They don't just appear out of nowhere!" _

_"Actually, they do." Impactor was insistent on proving his point. "A friend of mine showed me a fresh spark he dug up by accident and (Y/N) here formed out of it by pure chance."_

_"These types of things don't happen by 'pure chance'! You need a very _scientific _and_ specific_ amount of Sentio Metalico! If you give too much or too little... Who knows what could happen!" _

_"Well the kid's fine, so I guess we have nothing to worry about! There's nothing wrong with them." Impactor shot back. _

_"Well, what are you going to do with them? You can't just keep them here, the supervisors will find out, punish you, and then ship (Y/N) off to the Functionists for a job interview." Megatron explained. _

_All he got in return from his friend was a blank, but stubborn look. It was obvious the mech didn't plan on letting his new friend being released into the hands of the Senate or the Functionists. "You have to be kidding me - Impactor we can't keep them! Look - they're not even meant for mining! No treads, no drills, nothing! They have wings! You brought a flier online!"_

_"Hey! They haven't changed shape yet, you don't know - maybe they're - they're _door wings_!" His friend stayed stubborn. _

_"You made fun of _me_ for being naive and a 'hopeless literature-romantic'! Now you're just being impractical! They have a chance at a better life than us - than this!"_

_"Megatron don't start with me about that." Impactor's sudden change in attitude caught him off guard. "You're always preaching 'bout a new era, one without the functionists, without the Senate. Why are you deciding what to do with the kid before they can have a say in it? Why should we hand them over to our oppressors'?" _

_"I... I get a say in this?" The newspark finally spoke up. "I - I want to stay with Impactor!" _

_The sudden bravery shined in their optics and reflected off of the other two miners. (Y/N) had been entirely silent for the whole encounter, but at the given chance to speak for themselves, they jumped at it. The only problem was, it was the opposite of what Megatron had hoped the newspark would say. _

_"Look Impactor, they're attached to you! That's not good! If they become to dependent then they'll-"_

_"They'll _what_?!" He hissed. "They'll become weaker? Be taken advantage of? _I'll _take care of them Megatron, so you can shut up and help me, or you can shut up and leave." Impactor said finally, turning from his friend. "Just so you know, if you tell a spark about this whole ordeal, then I'm coming after you. I've lost too many friends already, I'm not loosing another one. Especially not this one."_

_Impactor had walked a few feet away before Megatron called back out to his friend. "Impactor, wait! I said that this wasn't a wise course of action, but I never said I wouldn't help you." His words caught Impactor's attention. "I will help you, because you were right. (Y/N) needs to decide what they think is best for them, and until then we'll just have to take care of them; no matter what the Senate or the Functionists say." _

_Turning around, Impactor smiled at his friend. "You finally came around." He muttered. "Then I suppose we have to get started. We're going to have to let the boss know we found a newspark - and then convince them to keep (Y/N) here in the mines."_

_"But how are we supposed to do that? I understand that he is not the brightest, but we would still need to by-pass the funcitonists." _

_"Don't worry, I don't think it would be that hard. We could use a few heavy duty transports. I'm sure when (Y/N) grows a little more, they'd do fine with that job." _

_"Still Impactor, they have a chance to live a better life than we do."_

_"But it's like you said Megatron. No matter what they, or you, or I transform into..."_

_"I still function."_

_________________________________________________________

Another day passed after he had spoken to Rung about his initial meeting with (Y/N), one that catalyzed several interactions with others. With them so involved in the early stages of his life, how could he not think about them? How could he not think about the ways they changed his life?

He remembered their first conversation alone. Impactor had left them in Megatron's custody to report to their higher-ups and convince them to allow (Y/N) to stay with them in the mines. Though their alt-mode wasn't one designed for mining, they decided that (Y/N) would do best without the Senate or the Functionists hovering over their shoulder-plates.

They stayed silent for the majority of the conversation. Many awkward pauses and long silences with a few phrases in between, but Megatron still remembered (Y/N)'s words clearly. It wasn't as if he could forget, after all.

_"(Y/N), do you wish to stay here in the mines?" _

_. . . _

_"Yes, I want to stay with Impactor, he's taking care of me." _

_. . . _

_"So you say, but is that what _you_ want or is it what you think Impactor wants?"_

_. . ._

_"What I want is what Impactor wants." _

_. . ._

_"(Y/N) you don't have to do this for Impactor, you can do what you wish -"_

_"You misunderstand, Megatron. I want to stay with those I care about, you included."_

_. . ._

_There was a stunned silence from Megatron, one longer than the others, but he smiled in return._

_. . ._

_"Then you will stay, I can promise you that (Y/N)." _

_. . ._

_"Thank you." _  
  



	3. Chapter 3

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝚆𝚊𝚢 𝙳𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚆𝚎 𝙶𝚘 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙺𝙰𝙻𝙴𝙾

[ 𝟓 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐎 ]

" 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓀𝑒𝑒𝓅𝓈 𝓊𝓈 𝒶𝓅𝒶𝓇𝓉

𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓂 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝑒𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹 "  
  
  


"𝕄𝔼𝔾𝔸𝕋ℝ𝕆ℕ!" His name was shouted excitedly and as he turned around he saw you running down the dark tunnel of the mines.

A smile graced his face as he turned around to meet your shining optics. "And what might you be doing all the way down here?" He asked.

"I wanted to visit Terminus!" You said pulling up to his side. "I heard he wasn't feeling very well. He got caught in a cave in right? I wanted to see if I could repair him."

Megatron allowed his smile to grow into something softer, you always were such a kind spark. He was glad that he and Impactor took you in so many years ago, otherwise you wouldn't be here with them today. And if you weren't here with him today... who knows where he would be right now.

"I understand that you learned some of your skills from watching the medics come and repair some of the others, (Y/N), but is it such a good idea to try something like that on Terminus?" Megatron asked.

You hesitated for a moment, "Well, yeah - but I've already had practice!... Don't ask how, I don't wanna talk about it." You joked. "But still, I know what I'm doing! You guys know that I'm good at learning quickly! It only took a couple times before I learned the basics!"

You were so eager to help and energetic, especially compared to the other miners - the ones exposed to the cruelty of the world - like Terminus, or himself, or Impactor. Megatron supposed that he and Impactor had done well to keep you from being exposed to too much of it at once. Events like that could shock a person and trigger traumatic experiences. Those of which had a tendency to change a person entirely.

"I suppose Terminus would like a visitor, especially if it was you." He finally gave in and allowed you to lead the way to his room. One of the only places (with the exception of Impactor's room as well) that you knew how to get to, no matter where you went in the tunnels. You had quite the terrible sense of direction underground. The same couldn't be said if you were in the sky.

In the few times you had visited the surface in the decades you'd been alive, you had flown almost flawlessly for all of your trips. With the exception of your first take off, you had navigated yourself back to your caretakers after long flights with no problem, coming back to them at the designated time and place without a second or inch to spare.

Quickly, the two of you entered his room, Terminus lying on the recharge slab, his legs missing. The sight caused your spark to twist, your expression barely holding back the worry that threatened to spill out. It wasn't the first time you had seen your comrades torn and broken like this, but it was the first time you saw the wise-mech this mangled. It scared you beyond comprehension.

"H-hey Terminus!" You said, feigning your usual energy. "How are you doing? I heard about the cave in, are you alright?"

"(Y/N), it's good to see you. I just wish you didn't have to see me this torn up." He gave a dry chuckle. "I'm alright though. Just waiting for replacement pieces for my legs and I'll be walking soon."

He was blatantly lying to you, but it was something you couldn't pick up. Your lips trembled, energon tears building up at the ends of your optics. You could only nod in return to his statement as your fears of loosing another one of your friends bubbled up.

Slowly, you swallowed your fears and Terminus gave a reassuring pat on your helm. "I - I came by to see if I could try and repair you." You said.

Terminus gave you a gentle smile. "I appreciate the help, (Y/N). Are you sure you know what you're doing though?" He teased.

"Of course!" You bounced back easily from your previous mood and began working.

Placing a pain canceling chip within Terminus; your hands moved diligently. While visiting the surface, you had heard of the old mech's unfortunate event and took the liberty to purchase all the necessary supplies to perform first aid. What Megatron, nor Impactor knew, was that you had learned from the best.

During your recent trip to the surface, you had came across Megatron's friend - Orion Pax, a friendly and justice craven police officer. He gave you a grand tour of Iacon and it's white spiraling towers, along with the dark slums that most bots avoided. There you met a medic by the name of Ratchet, 'the best doctor in all of Cybertron' as Orion put it, and he wasn't wrong.

Ratchet managed to teach you the basics of medical first aid and a little more within the few days you had in the grand city - all of which managed to stick flawlessly with just a few lessons. Soon enough, your hands flew along injuries similarly to Ratchet, something he praised.

Megatron watched as your hands held the scalpel and welder, working efficiently to remove the rusted energon lines, seal the wounds, and buff out the remaining dents. Had you really learned this much just by watching the medics repair others? Had you really managed to learn this much in such a short amount of time? You had began to fulfill one of his younger dreams, but now he was onto bigger things now. He was influencing the populace.

Even then, you seemed so much larger than he thought. "Megatron, I'm almost done. Can you keep an eye on him? I'm going to see some others who were injured during the cave in." You said.

He only nodded. You were helping people in ways he always wanted to. "Oh - and Megs... I can teach this stuff to you if you'd like. I know how much you always wanted to be a medic." You gave a bright grin, and suddenly, he remembered just who he was inspired by. It wasn't Impactor, it wasn't Orion Pax, and it wasn't Terminus. _It was you._

_________________________________________________________

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝚂𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝙳𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙸𝚗 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙹𝚘𝚓𝚒  
  
  


"Follow me, (Y/N). Take my hand." Megatron said, urging you on as he led you closer and closer to the surface of Luna 2 and farther away from the mines.

"But, Megatron we're not supposed to be up here! I already had my visit to the surface this month! If they find me, I can make an excuse, but you - " You were interrupted midway.

"Don't worry." He said grinning gently. "It doesn't matter, they won't find either of us any time soon. These tunnels were made by miners before us, they won't be able to navigate it the same way we do."

"You mean the way _you_ do. Megatron, I can barely find my way around here either! It's the reason why I stay within the main tunneling systems. Besides my job of course..."

He pulled you up towards a metal cover and with one great shove he broke it open enough for him to wedge his servo inside and grab a latch to pull it open. Once it was pulled away, it revealed the sparkling stars of the universe before them. As Megatron hauled himself out, you soon followed, mesmerized by the sight of the stars on Luna 2. You didn't even fathom these constellations could be seen from Luna 2, let alone Cybertron. You could never go out at night, after all. You were a flier and could disappear into the night sky without a trace if they didn't restrict you.

"Are - are those stars? The ones with constellations?" You asked, being led to a cliffside out of sight. "I didn't know you could see them from Luna 2."

"Yes, they're stars." Megatron said. He was glad he took you up here, he had actually hoped you would see more stars from Iacon and several other of your trips, but when he heard you had never been outside during the night, he couldn't help but provide the experience. "You can see them best from Luna 2."

As the two of you spent time out on the surface of Luna 2, he showed you each of the constellations. He would explain the meanings behind each one. He would show you clusters of other planets and their solar systems. And finally, as Luna 2 orbited Cybertron...

_He showed you what the world could be, instead of what it was. _   
  
  


"Look! You can almost see the Manganese Mountains from here!"

"Hardly, (Y/N). We're on Luna 2."

"Exactly! You'd never think it would be so close, yet so far."

"How does that have anything to do with the stars?"

"Well, just think about it; we're this close to Cybertron and on the moon, but imagine traveling to different worlds! Like the colonies or - or the mining planets far from here!"

"What about them?"

"Wouldn't it be amazing if we could travel out there? Beyond our stars? See what else this universe has to offer? It's like you said; Cybertron, Luna 2, the Functionists, the Senate... they're all quite terrible. Wouldn't it be great to escape it all?"

"_Yes, yes it would._"

. . .

"You mean _that's_ why you named yourself _Megatronus_? And you changed it to _Megatron_?"

"Yes, I did. It seemed like a fine decision."

"No way. I think Megatronus has a much better ring to it!"

"So you don't like my name?"

"Hey, I didn't say that!... At least not exactly."

The both of you laughed heartily as you joked with each other.

"But you're always talking so much about all that revolutionary stuff! Why do you leave me out?"

"Would you like me to include you?"

"... Well, I mean - yeah. I wouldn't mind. I do like it when you speak to me about your poetry."

There was a pause as Megatron thought to himself. Should he include you? Should he expose you to any more of the toxicity of Cybertron's governmental system? They were doing so well to keep you away from such things; to keep you happy. Then finally, he decided...

_He would make the world as it should be, instead of how it could be; for everyone's sake... for your sake. _

. . .

"...Say it with me."

"What? But... are you sure? It is your saying after all, I wouldn't want people to think that-"

"Nonsense, (Y/N). Say it with me."

"_I still function._"  
  
  


For some reason, the words the two of you spoke rang deeper inside yourself. You had read it many times, but saying it, and then believing in what you had said; it was something entirely different. Something that you thought was worth fighting for. Megatron was worth fighting for.

It was then when you realized the extent of your thoughts. You had been born lucky, unlike your fellow miners. They had been assigned this function. You had chosen it, and could change functions if necessary. Terminus, Impactor, and Megatron were not so lucky. You didn't want the fate of a miner for them. You didn't want them to die in the tunnels of Luna 2, nameless and forgotten. You didn't want Megatron to be forgotten.

Megatron was the mech who opened your eyes. He was the one who kept the world at bay. Although, he thought you didn't see his actions to hold the world back from harming you; from poisoning you, but you saw it all. Every time you saw, you loved him even more for it.

_Love, _a word you were scared of. You had been desperately trying to avoid it, and honestly you didn't even consider it until now. Still, you admired him; whether that was as a mentor, or as a friend, or even as a lover. You admired what he was willing to do for the people _he _loved; the people _he_ admired, and you were willing to follow in his footsteps.

You would follow him until your dying days, no matter where he went.

_too bad he died first . _


	4. Chapter 4

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝙰 𝙻𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙾𝚗 - 𝚋𝚢 𝚃𝚘𝚖 𝚆𝚊𝚕𝚔𝚎𝚛

[ 𝟒.𝟖 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐎 ]

" 𝒩𝑜 𝒪𝓃𝑒 𝒞𝒶𝓃 𝑅𝑒𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓈 

𝐻𝑜𝓌 𝒞𝒶𝓃 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒮𝒶𝓎 𝒴𝑜𝓊'𝓁𝓁 𝐵𝑒 𝑀𝒾𝓃𝑒? "

𝕄𝔼𝔾𝔸𝕋ℝ𝕆ℕ walked down the dimly lit streets of Iacon, making his way downtown (walking fast). He approached a small clinic on the edges of the poverty covered area, hoping he might find the person he needed. Opening the doors to the grey clinic, a thud could be heard from the aging doorways, surely something broke, but he just couldn't tell what. 

"Orion? Please tell me you're in here. I've quite literally looked everywhere else and I need your help." Megatron called through the clinic as he heard footsteps.

"Orion's in the back." Ratchet said as he emerged from one of the treatment rooms a tired expression on his faceplates. "He should be trying to talk some idiot out of overdosing again. Interrupt if you'd like, I'm sure he'd try to make you convince the mech to join your cause."

Megatron was hesitant to answer the sarcastic medic, he had the tendency to predict these types of things a little too accurately. "Of course... but, have you seen-"

"(Y/N)? In a room in the back as well. They're treating one of the others," He said leading him to another room in the back of the clinic. "They've got hands good enough to be a medic, don't know why a flier like them is in the mining industry."

"I don't believe that's any of your business." Megatron responded as Ratchet opened the door to the shared treatment room. "They can do what they wish. No one, not the Senate, not the Functionists, and certainly not me, is going to stop them from doing what they believes is best for themself."

"Right, anyways..." Ratchet trailed off. "(Y/N), you've got a visitor!"

Your head snapped up from your work at your mentor's loud voice. "I'm up, I swear!" You shouted reflexively.

Both mechs, and Orion Pax who was approaching from behind, stifled a chuckle at your response. Your face flushed an embarrassed blue, as you thanked Primus that your patient was under anesthesia at the moment. You might have purposely hurt him if he started laughing too.

"Hey, Megs." You muttered as you finished treating your patient's wounds. "What brings you all the way out here? I told you before I was with Orion."

Megatron cleared his throat and swallowed his laugh. "I was looking for you... Soundwave and his cassettes had planned their trip, and invited you... You never replied." He said. 

"Oh scrap, that was today wasn't it?" You said as you placed your tools to the side. "I'll definitely go with them! Just give me a minute to gather my things." With that you left the room, leaving Ratchet, Orion Pax, and Megatron alone.

"And exactly what kind of trip are they going on?" Ratchet asked, inching closer to the future tyrant. 

Orion Pax placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Now, now Ratchet, no need to get so suspicious. Megatron, do tell us, where are they going?" 

Megatron hesitated, he often forgot Orion Pax was not trusted with this information - his spark was far too soft for it. "No where special, just a trip to Luna 2. They're visiting the mines we used to work in." With that he left the clinic with you by his side, on your way to meet Soundwave's cassettes and as you entered the spaceport and made your way to Luna 2, Megatron turned his back from you, facing Shockwave and Soundwave. 

"You're sure they'll be safe?" Megatron asked again. He only received a nod from the two mechs before him. "Good. Proceed." 

. . .

As the spaceship raced farther and farther away from Kaon, from Cybertron, you looked out the small window, mesmerized by the sight of the stars, the same ones Megatron had shown you. You reveled in the familiar sight of Luna 2, Soundwave's cassettes by your side. You had abandoned the mines just as Megatron and Soundwave had and by leaving it behind, Megatron and Soundwave lost parts of themselves, but not you. You were lucky, you were the part of them they had left behind, and luckily for them, you were still beside them and they didn't need to leave you behind... They just had a hard time remembering that. 

. . .

In the week that you were gone, the city of Kaon and all of Cybertron had fell into despair. The Senate had been murdered ruthlessly by the Decepticon powers and Senator Ratbat was nowhere to be found, along with several other Senators. The planet of Cybertron hurriedly collected their bearings but not quickly enough to stop Megatron's formal declaration of war... against his own friend, Orion Pax, now turned Optimus Prime. With the disarray, the Decepticons rose and in retaliation, the Autobots had a new foe. This was the beginning of a 4 million year war... 

One that would rip the planet apart. 

_________________________________________________________

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙰𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙼𝚒𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚕 𝚂𝚌𝚑𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚎

When you arrived on Cybertron again, you were greeted by a string of guns to your face-plate. The only thing you had recognized and had found similar between the mechs was the bright purple insignia, the one Soundwave had shown you. Within minutes, Ravage, Lazerbeak, and Buzzsaw had shown their own badges and the four of you made your way back to Kaon. The city-state was clearly in chaos and on your way there, you had been spouting questions left and right to your friends. 

"What happened!? Why is everyone carrying guns? Why does Kaon look like it was set on fire _twice_?" Were just a few questions among the many. 

Slowly, things were explained on the way... on the way to what, you didn't know. "The Senate attacked the Decepticon movement and we retaliated. When the Senate had been struck down by the Decpeticons, Cybertron's new leader declared a formal civil war... Orion Pax took the name Optimus Prime and now he's leading the Autobots... He's trying to oppress us again." All that was told to you devastated you. Orion Pax, the just and bright optics police officer had turned into what he had sworn to rid the world of, a tyrant, an oppressor.

You hadn't known you were being lied to of course. You trusted Soundwave's cassettes as much as you trusted Soundwave himself, he had been one of the few to shield you from the outside world, as did Impactor and Megatron. Even now, Ravage, Lazerbeak, and Buzzsaw were hesitant to lie to you, but they obeyed orders. It was for the best after all. You were the last piece of innocence in the eyes of Megatron, and all of Decepticon high command knew it. 

The four of you entered the center of Kaon, Decepticon flags and badges as far as the eye could see and just as menacing. The symbol that brightened your optics now accompanied by the smoke of burning buildings and a sinking feeling in your tanks. This was not the Kaon you knew... This was not the Cybertron you knew. 

A passage opened under the grounds of the center of Kaon, leading downwards and twisting and turning as the caverns were dimly lit by lamps. The grey interiors of each reminded you of your time in the mines, and suddenly the feeling of nostalgia was replaced with fear. The same fear you had avoided during your time in the mines, but one you had experienced inevitably. 

Your days in the mines had created the fear of loosing your friends, of dying namelessly, of loosing yourself within the dark tunnels.

_The fear of loosing your way._

Still, your transport carried on, your wings squeezing into the tight spaces until it made you physically ill to do so. Then the four of you, plus a single guard, continued on foot. Eventually, you passed a row of metal doors, you feared what was behind each one in a world like this. 

"Lord Megatron awaits you." The guard spoke. 

_Lord Megatron_? Megatron gave himself a title?! You could hardly believe your audio receptors, but as the thick metal door swung open, you saw each of the mechs you knew well, branded with the same purple badges. The ones you had been weary of. Should that mean that you were to be weary of them as well? The mechs you had known your whole life and trusted with your spark, should you have been cautious of them? 

_Yes_.

"(Y/N) it is good to see you are safe." Megatron spoke as he approached you. 

You flinched, taking several steps back, your optics flickering between his face and his purple badge. 

He had taken notice of your actions and what they meant. You were not afraid of many things, this was alarming. He reached up to the purple Decepticon badge, a scared hand resting on it. "This is the badge you and Soundwave designed. It's your creation, (Y/N). It represents us as Decepticons, just as you intended it to." 

_Was it really? _The thought echoed in your mind. _Did I really make it for this reason?_

"The battle rages on, (Y/N), but don't worry, you will be safe, I promise." As he spoke words true to his spark, you finally ripped your vision from his insignia. His optics didn't betray him, they never did really, but you could read him well. Your friend spoke the truth; he would protect you. 

_But at what cost? _Again you doubted him; you doubted where he was going. _This isn't what I wanted. _

_I never wanted any of this. _Yet this was the outcome, this was what occurred, and for some reason you were more afraid than furious. _Afraid of Megatron? But he was nothing but kind._

Oh, how you were deceived by the mech you loved, the one who preached about his obsession of truth often. What turn of events had caused him to _lie_ to _you_? 

Your anger finally bubbled up, only to be accompanied by trembling lip-plates and watering optics. You had never felt more... more _betrayed_ in your life. 

"Everyone, out." Megatron quickly ordered. It startled all of you, with the exception of Shockwave. Your watering eyes snapped wide open as everyone walked out without question. 

You stood alone in front of Megatron as the metal door slammed behind you. Flinching, you curled into yourself, your legs barely holding out. Silence enveloped the two of you and as he approached, you found yourself backing into the wall behind you. 

Megatron hesitated, you had never been this afraid of anything - least of all him. Had his sins finally caught up to him? Had keeping his plans away from you been the treachery he was trying to avoid? But how was he supposed to tell you of all people? How was he supposed to lie to you? 

_He couldn't._

Finally, he reached his servo up to your face-plates, the energon tears finally rolling down your cheeks. Your eyes snapped shut, hoping that all that had happened would have disappeared, hoping that the atrocities that Megatron committed were all just figments of your imagination; fiction. His digits finally reached your face, wiping away the tears with as gentle of a hand as when you lost Terminus. 

Your knees buckled together and you collapsed onto him, mentally and physically. You held onto the sides of his armor, looking him in the eyes, yours glossed over with energon. You wore a pitiful expression, woven with sorrow and betrayal. 

"What have you _done _Megatron?" Your voice cracked, dripping with more questions you were unable to ask. Half because of the absurdity, half because you were nearly choking on your own tears. 

He said nothing at first, only pulling you into a secure embrace, his face burying itself in the crook of your neck. He gave you no explanation, not yet, no promises, only a look of defeat. "I'm sorry, (Y/N)."


	5. Chapter 5

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚢 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙱𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙴𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑

[ 𝟒.𝟕 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐆𝐎 ]

" ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴄᴀɴ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴜꜱ ᴀᴘᴀʀᴛ

ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ꜰɪɴᴅ. "  
  
  
  


𝕄𝔼𝔾𝔸𝕋ℝ𝕆ℕ attempted time and time again to soothe your fears; to create some soundness in his actions and promises of a brighter future, but all you could see was the smoke clouding the skies of Cybertron as Kaon burned with the Senate. This wasn't your home; despite the fires, Kaon was frigid cold. Even the bots you knew turned away from you. For what reason, you weren't sure. 

Still, you couldn't rest soundly without the mech, he was an essential part of you, just as you were his. You relied on him too heavily to leave him to his devices, and though your friend eliminated the fear of dying as a nameless miner, you couldn't stand to think of his name as tainted. So you stayed, just as you said you would.

Eventually he regained your trust, but not without difficulty. "(Y/N)? Are you repairing the soldiers again?" Megatron slowly opened the door to your makeshift clinic, something you took pride in opening, even if you were helping a war effort.

You wiped your hands clean of energon and placed your tools to the side, shooing your last visitor out as Megatron entered. You spoke a lot less lately, as the grimness of your surroundings brought you down, slowly but surely. You met his eyes; that alone spoke volumes.

You looked exhausted, not only by your working hours, but by the events that took place everyday. Even the kindness you showed your patients at the beginning of the war was fading. Although your spark was slowly giving out, your skills were sharpened and you could rival even the best Autobot medics, but it was never enough.

Your patients still died, they still fell even at your best attempts to save their lives, and each one began to haunt you. Little by little you were diminishing; the person you were was fading, and you weren't sure if they could ever return.

Megatron witnessed all of this. He nearly wept when he saw such an expression on the innocent face he was so used to. Was this his fault? Should he have never sent the order to fight? Should he have better prepared you for this event? Was it wrong to keep this from you?_ No. _He couldn't regret his past actions - not now - not when he was so close.

He opened his mouth to speak once again, but was silenced as you gave him a pointed look, one that yelled '_keep your mouth shut, I don't need this right now._' He didn't fear much, but that expression struck fear in him, even momentarily. His old friend Orion Pax was right, medics were fearsome.

He spoke anyways. "(Y/N)... Speak to me please. It's been 10 years." He slowly approached you, only to gain the same reaction he always got.

Your lip-plates trembled, your eyes shifted downwards to the floor, your pedes scooted back, nearly stumbling over themselves, all until you hit a solid object that stopped you from getting farther away from the mech. It pained his spark to see you like this; so afraid, so fragile... _Was it his fault? _

"Please, bright-spark, speak to me..." He reached his servo to your face-plates.

Your eyes shot up, staring directly into Megatron's. It had been centuries since he last used that nickname with you; and the whiplash was not pleasant. You slapped his hand out of the way, the metal on metal clang echoing through the med-bay.

His shocked expression caused your spark to twist, so you focused your gaze intently on the floor. "Don't - don't call me that..!" Your voice cracked, the sorrow and misery in your EM field messing with his spark. "Don't call me that!" You said firmly.

He couldn't speak, so you took the liberty too.

"You left me here in Kaon after I came back to Cybertron from Luna 2, hundreds of years ago!" The tears finally began falling, one by one they spilled the truths of your fragile spark. "You promised me that you would keep me safe! You convinced me that everything would be alright! How could this possibly be alright!?

"I haven't spoken to you in decades because I haven't even _seen_ you in decades! The moment I came back you spent a month coaxing me into wearing the purple badge! The one _I_ designed! The one _I_ made for _you_! You left and never came back! I've been here in Kaon for years now! I'm saving the soldiers you've been throwing into battle like cannon fodder! Look at yourself, Megatron!

"You had the audacity to criticize the Senate - and the Functionists - and the Primes! Have you taken a look in the mirror lately!? Have you seen the disease you've spread? Everyone who comes to this clinic of mine has seen what you've done! I've taken down your banner from my walls! I don't want to scare anyone with a relation to factions! I just wanted to _help_ people!

"But that's what you wanted too, right? You just wanted to get rid of the oppression? Of the manipulation and the deceit that everyone was put under? Then why is it that half of the Decepticons who enter my clinic claim _you_ are the deceiver!?

"Is it because they _misunderstood_ _you_? Or is it because of some poison they put in your energon? Did someone poison you, Megatron? Do I have to save you myself, _again_? Please, don't tell me it's too late to save you, because if I can't save you, then who can? And if _you_ don't survive this, how could _I _ever?

. . .

"My spark isn't as bright as it used to be, Megatron. I'm not a child anymore, and whether or not you claim some of that fault, isn't up to me... I looked up to you, I saw you were trying to better society and I admired it...

"But you're not the Megatron I knew...

The Megatron I knew would never have done something like this."

_________________________________________________________

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝙸𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚆𝚊𝚐𝚗𝚎𝚛

_"No! I'm not coming with you! I refuse!" _

_"(Y/N), we're not looking for Nucleon to harm anyone! This is for a cure! There's a disease going around that you've seen in your clinic!"_

_"How is _Nucleon_ the answer?!" _

_"Ask Shockwave, he's done all the studies - and Messatine, as much as I know it, and you know it - is _filled to the brim_ with Nucleon. It's a Nucleon mine - "_

_"I'M NOT GOING BACK THERE!... Please, please, you can't make me go back there-... I don't want to go back there..." _

_. . ._

_"I can't navigate it by myself and I know you can do it with me... I won't let anything happen to you."_

_. . . _

_"... We lost Terminus there... I don't - I can't..." _

_. . ._

_"I'm sorry, (Y/N). _ I need you _ . _ _" _

_________________________________________________________

** (TRIGGER WARNING!) **

_(well it triggered me writing it, that's for sure.)_   
  
  


You could hear the screaming echos around the tunnels you traveled as you clung to your scanner for dear life. You didn't want to be here - you never wanted to come here again. You lost so many people you loved here. You lost so many family and friends here; all of them nameless now. The echos of their lost sparks still in this mine, trying to go back to the Well of Allsparks.

'_I just want to go home._'

You couldn't tell if it was your own words or the ones of a lost soul amongst the rubble. Either way it brought a shiver down your spinal struts. In a way you had lost yourself here as well; a piece of you dwelled here, hidden and buried with Terminus under the layers of hardened rock. It was calling to you.

_'Come back home, come back home.' _

_'Be nameless like the ones you left behind.' _

_'Die in vain like all of us you left behind.' _

_'Come back home...'_

_"COME BACK!"_

You whimpered under your breath - trying to remain strong - trying to keep face, as you covered your audials. You cursed whatever mech thought this was a good idea, and realized you couldn't curse Megatron to the Pits because he lived in them. He was putting you through this suffering - pain that he knew he would be causing you by bringing you back here.

Yourself and Soundwave were alike. The two of you hated it here. The difference was that Soundwave was so much stronger than you were; through body, mind, and spark. He held kept himself pinned to the calm and soothing EM field of Ravage and Lazerbeak and Buzzsaw. He had something to distract himself from the terrible memories of this place. You were not so fortunate.

You could hear Terminus calling to you.

_'(Y/N), weren't you supposed to fix me? Why am I not fixed? WHY AM I NOT BY YOUR SIDE!? _

_. . . _

_Like I was with yours?"_

Finally, you reached your destination, a metal door slamming behind you and your group. It was then when you were pulled away from the voices remaining here in the dark tunnels. Instead, they were replaced with Megatron's voice; it saddened you.

"Hurry, we don't have much time." Megatron spoke. Way to state the obvious.

Barricade, Shockwave, Soundwave, Megatron. They were the ones currently in the room with you. Above ground were Ravage, Lazerbeak, Buzzsaw, Starscream, Ratbat. You felt a grip on reality for a moment again. You were here to help - you were here to remove the possibly dangerous Nucleon reactor and go before it could blow up in your faces.

"(Y/N), work quickly." Megatron ordered.

You didn't need to be told twice. The sooner you finished your job, the sooner you could leave this haunted pit. Your servos worked efficiently, removing the nucleon reactor within minutes; Soundwave behind you to reassure your safety while the others were at a relatively safe distance. You cursed Megatron's cowardice again, even if he was closer to you and Soundwave than the others.

Soundwave took the reactor from your hands, passing it to Megatron and the five of you moved out of the room again. The darkness enveloped you, the only light coming from everyone's headlights. The mechs in front of you were moving quickly, nearly running to get back to the surface, but you were falling behind.

They were pulling at your feet, Terminus wanted you to stay... but you didn't want to stay. Your spark felt heavy, your optics tired. You were falling behind.

"Wait - wait for me." You tried catching up but you simply couldn't. They seemed so far away now, when in reality Shockwave and Barricade were only a few meters in front of you; and a few meters in front of them, Soundwave and Megatron.

The planet rumbled, roaring in pain almost, as you all reached the middle layer of the planet. Another shake knocked you off your pedes, Barricade following and Shockwave stumbling over him just to be knocked down by a boulder. The walls were caving in, the planet planned on keeping you, and you were ready to call for Megatron - but the tunnel collapsed.

Your vents stopped, you could feel your spark drop hundreds of feet down. You weren't leaving. Beside you was Barricade and a half conscious Shockwave. If anyone could get you out of this predicament it was Shockwave; but your words were caught in your throat. You couldn't speak, something was suffocating you.

_Terminus._

"I'M SORRY!" Was all you could manage from your coarse throat.

You choked out a spark-wrenching cry and the moment your breath hicced; the brief moment you could hear the rest of the world clearly - you heard Megatron.

"Shockwave! Barricade! (Y/N)!" Megatron called as Barricade heaved you up to your pedes. "(Y/N), you know these caverns as well as I do. Lead them out of this... I'm counting on you."

You caught your breath. Megatron was counting on you; Soundwave was listening to you, you knew he was; the cassettes were waiting for you. You had to make it out of here alive. They were there for you.

You knew he couldn't see you do it, but you nodded anyways. Turning around and running down a different pathway you called to Barricade and Shockwave. "This way!"

You followed in his footsteps. In this moment you could see the foot-prints in the ground beneath you. Impactor, Terminus, Megatron. They were always leading the way - all you had to do was follow... but this time, you were leading the way - you had someone following you, and there was no way you were failing now.

You moved through the jagged twists and turns of the caves well, your optics blinded and your instincts guiding you well. You could feel the gravity of the planet alleviating, and you couldn't tell if that was out of guilt or atmospheric pressure, but it was gone now - no, it was pushing you forward.

"Almost - almost there!" A smile began to grace your face-plates. You were overcoming your fear, your guilt, you - were met face to face with Ratbat!

But you were still underground, did they come to find you? Ratbat was bound to have found you with his sonar! You reached up to hug the former senator, as you were familiar with all of Soundwave's cassettes - only for your hands to be slapped away.

"Do not touch me, filth." Ratbat snapped.

You flinched backwards, optics wide open and filled with shock. "R-Ratbat? What's wrong? Why-?" Before you could finish your questions, Shockwave and Barricade arrived behind you. "Shockwave, Barricade! We're almost there! I can feel-"

You were knocked down by a powerful blast, the momentum alone, throwing you to the floor. A good amount of energon forced its way out of your mouth, a large purple pede crushed your leg, and you let out a cry.

What was going on? What was happening? Did the planet's pressure mess with their minds? Did you say something offending? Did you do something wrong?

"Why?" Was all you could choke out. You watched as Shockwave, Ratbat, and Barricade all looked down at you, their scrutinizing gaze burning holes in your armor. A pair of stasis cuffs was being pulled out of Barricade's subspace as Shockwave took your throat in his single hand, lifting you up into the air. They placed the cuffs onto you without a word, not even exchanging glances.

Barricade slung you over his shoulder-plates. "WHY!?" You demanded again, energon dripping from the corners of your mouth. "WHY!?" Each word was coming out more and more as a sob.

"...why?.." Finally, your helm fell. You couldn't fight against them all, you were too weak. You were so - _so_ _weak_.

Another metal door was burst open and slammed shut behind them. You barely had to look around to know where exactly you were. You knew this place too well; the place where you lost Terminus for good.

_The escape pod docks_.

You were all very close to the surface, as the pods were as well. With a quick swipe of his hand, Shockwave opened one of the million-year-old escape pods and Barricade threw you inside without a second thought.

You said nothing as you stared all three of them in the eyes. Your legs were crippled by Shockwave, your fuel tank pulsing, your spark in disarray from Barricade's blast, and your mind racing a million light-years a minute. Your optics said it all.

"Because, you are a weak link to us." Ratbat began.

"Because you're no good to the cause." Barricade continued.

"Because I shall rule and I alone." Shockwave finished. 

"Perish, (Y/N), and Megatron with you." They all spoke in sync.   
  
  


Without another word they closed the door to the escape pod, Shockwave rigging the escape pod to implode as soon as they were far enough away. Surely, Soundwave, who's hearing was so refined would hear you right? He would help to save you right?... Right?

. . .

_ Right..? _

In the few seconds that Ratbat cut off all communications, in the few seconds Barricade welded the door shut, and in the few seconds Shockwave solidified your doom - you saw everything flash before your eyes.

It wasn't your life that passed before your eyes - it was Megatron's. Every day, every life changing event, all his pasts and all his futures, all his possibilities - they passed through your eyes. And all you could see was his suffering. All until the happiest days of his life.

"...No..." You whispered. "NO!" You pounded on the glass before you, the will to live - the will to keep him alive propelling you. "NO I WON'T LET YOU KILL HIM! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE IT ALL AWAY!"

You wanted him to be happy - you wanted to give him the chance to live until his happiest days. You wanted him to have his name.

"MEGATRON!" You called. "MEGATRON! I WON'T LET YOU KILL HIM! I WON'T LET YOU!" Your sobs were getting in the way of your pleas.

The three of them left the room, following Ratbat back out of the tunnels and closer to the surface, leaving you to scream and thrash and sob hundreds of miles underground.

No one was coming for you... No one was coming to save you. Not Megatron, not Soundwave, not his cassettes; you were alone again.

You were going to die; here in the same place Terminus did. Here with the same namelessness... Here with Megatron... Here with the pieces of you...

You stopped screaming, stopped thrashing, stopped sobbing. Instead you prayed - not to Primus, not to the Well of Allsparks, but to the stars. The stars you were so familiar with.

"Keep him safe. Keep him safe, please. Please, keep him safe. It's all I ask of you... It's all I've ever wanted. Let him keep his name - even if they forget mine...

Even if he forgets mine..."

. . .

. . .

_"... Don't forget mine..."_   
  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
**(I wrote all of this at 2 in the morning.)**


	6. Chapter 6

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝙻𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝙱𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝙶𝚘 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙱𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝙴𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑

" ʙᴜᴛ ꜰᴀᴛᴇ ɪꜱ ᴘᴜʟʟɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪʟᴇꜱ ᴀᴡᴀʏ

ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴍᴇ. "  
  
  


𝕄𝔼𝔾𝔸𝕋ℝ𝕆ℕ nearly deafened everyone in the surrounding area. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT OUT ALIVE!?"

He was furious. Guilty. Brokenhearted. Soundwave could feel every emotion Megatron was going through, but the fact that he couldn't feel (Y/N)'s is what harmed him the most. He lost track of them - as if it was severed completely, and then in a few moments after, he felt the world shake beneath his pedes and he could hear them praying. He could _feel_ what they were saying. And his spark broke when he could no longer feel them. Soundwave dropped to his knees, collapsing as his cassettes surrounded him. They were really gone.

Megatron knew Soundwave had a keen sense of hearing; so when his friend confirmed (Y/N)'s death, Megatron knew no one to blame but himself. Even then, his anger came outwards, like it always did. He grabbed Barricade by the throat, suffocating the mech.

"How could you have let them die!?" Megatron screamed.

The worst part about their death wasn't that he finally lost all that he loved. It wasn't that they left behind an after image on the corner of his optic sensors. It wasn't that they were the last light he'd ever have. It wasn't even that they had died at all! It was that (Y/N) died on _Messatine_. On this cursed planet that took everyone he ever loved. And the worst part was that he _promised_ them that he would protect them... A promise he broke in less than a day.

"Lord Megatron, (Y/N) was a less armored than the rest of us. They were fragile. They were crushed and swallowed up by the planet." Shockwave explained.

"Find their body!" He ordered.

"Megatron, the mine is going to collapse right at our pedes! We can't even be here right now! We need to get away otherwise we'll be crushed along with them!"

"So be it!" He whipped around, facing the mine's entrance. "Find them!"

Soundwave finally pulled himself up to his pedes with the help of his cassettes. "Megatron..." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're gone."

Energon tears began to pool under Soundwave's mask. He was almost afraid it would leak out and reveal how much he cared about them as well. "They're gone." He said again, his mechanical voice cracking.

The tyrant turned to face his old friend, a furious expression on his face-plates, all until he saw the single tear seep through the bottom of his friend's mask. Soundwave wept for their loss, the same as Megatron wished to. With a trembling frame, a sinking feeling in his tanks, a twist in his spark, he called for them to move towards their ship.

"Return to Cybertron. We have what we need." He said.

They all filed into the spacecraft. Soundwave and Megatron leading the group all until the two of them entered a private room. Neither of them spoke as they launched off planet, the mine below collapsing on itself for the third time in the past few millennia. They orbited along the stars, on route to Cybertron.

"... Soundwave." Megatron stopped himself from asking an obvious question. Instead he looked his friend in the optics. His mouth was left slightly agape, unknowing how to spill his emotions - of how to reassure his friend and himself that they would be alright without their bright light in the dark. Oh, how were they supposed to survive without their north star?

The communications specialist said nothing to his friend, only taking a seat in the private room. He looked out the massive glass display into the dark horizons of the universe. The stars nothing more than speckles of dust in the cosmos. Megatron took a seat next to him.

They wallowed in the sorrow of the universe as Primus himself wept for the loss of another bright spark.

. . .

"Say it with me."

. . .

"I still function."

. . .

_"I STILL FUNCTION."_

. . .  
  
  


"But how do I function without you?"

_________________________________________________________

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚆𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚃𝚘 𝙼𝚎 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙹𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚢 𝚉𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚛 & 𝙲𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚜𝚎𝚊 𝙲𝚞𝚝𝚕𝚎𝚛  
  
  
  


The shadows enveloped them. He lit his headlights, the light falling onto their mangled armor and body.

Not quite dead, not quite alive... Quite the suffering state really.

But he wasn't made to help - it wasn't his job.

He made sure he didn't help, because helping meant taking sides and he wasn't meant to take sides. He didn't want to take sides.

Censere looked down at his data pad, his black-galaxy patterned cloak laid limply against his armor. This wasn't usually where he checked off names... Even then, he couldn't really even check off their name...

"(Y/N) of The Thymesis Mines on Luna 2." He mumbled to himself.

They were dead on his scanners. Their body was faded gray. Their optic color lost. They were supposed to be dead.

_But their spark persisted. _

He planned to wait until their spark extinguished itself. Surely, the spark couldn't survive with the rest of the body dead. Yet, the impossible was happening right before him. (Y/N)'s spark shone brightly in despite of a long dead body. It was hardly a miracle; the amount of suffering they had to experience for their spark to delay this long was immeasurable.

The planet gave another rumble. Surely the rubble around him would collapse once again, it was already such a cramped area. So he had a choice to make:

Leave the body and claim it missing in hopes to find solid answers when the ground he stood on didn't wobble. Or, stay with it in hopes that the spark faded quicker than the planet was crumbling. Because there was no way, even if (Y/N) was to live again, that they would make it out of this place alive.

The planet decided for him. It groaned and twisted, rumbling and collapsing. He needed to leave, otherwise he would die here like the other thousands of lost sparks on this world. He placed a single crystal flower beside (Y/N)'s spark and wished them the best of luck...

"(Y/N) of The Thymesis Mines on Luna 2... I proclaim you MIA..." He declared before wrapping himself within his cloak and disappearing from existence once again.

. . .

There was nothing else he could do, but remember their name. 

_________________________________________________________

𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚐 : 𝙽𝚞𝚖𝚋 - 𝚋𝚢 𝙳𝚎𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚗 𝙹 𝙳𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚊𝚗

{ 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬! }

. . .

[ 𝟒 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑 ]

. . .

|| 𝐎𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ||  
  
  


"_YOU FOUND ME DROWNING IN THE DARK! WAITING FOR THE RAIN TO STOP!_"

Megatron let loose a sigh from his lip-plates, but couldn't hold back the smile forming. Rodimus and the rest of Rod-Squad were singing to their hearts' contents. His crew was happy - hell, they were festive - and he couldn't help but be in high spirits as well. They had just made another quantum jump farther from Cybertron, and to most, it was something to celebrate.

"_I TRIED MY BEST TO LIGHT THIS BURNING HEART! BUT YOU CAN'T START A FIRE WITHOUT A SPARK!_"

They made this ship their home; something irreplaceable, and Megatron would confess that he had loved this ship as his home as well. It was thanks to his comrades around him that he was able to come to terms with his past actions, and even the people in his past. He needn't fear about Terminus's spark as he was beside him now.

"_EVERYTHING YOU GIVE I WANT! BUT I ALWAYS TAKE TOO MUCH!_"

"Quite the rowdy bunch aren't they?" Terminus joked.

"_EVERYTHING YOU NEED I'M NOT! BECAUSE I'LL ALWAYS BE LOVELESS!_"

"You have no idea." Megatron said with a spark-felt grin.

"_IM SORRY I CAN'T GIVE ENOUGH! THESE SCARS ONLY LEAVE ME NUMB! I'M PAYING FOR MY MISTAKES!_"

"We're approaching Necroworld!" Perceptor yelled out over the sea of singers.

"_I'VE GIVEN ALL MY FEELINGS AWAY!_"

Perceptor turned to Megatron as they ignored the scientist. Megatron gave the mech a nod and cleared his throat. "ALRIGHT THAT'S ENOUGH!" He shouted. His voice echoed and shut up the rest of the crew quickly, some of them even jumping and assuming a defensive position. He said nothing and gestured to Perceptor as they turned their attention to him.

"Alright, now that I have your attention, I'd like to say that we reached Necroworld ahead of schedule due to the combined efforts of the Scavengers, the AVL, and the other engineers and scientists on board." Perceptor finally said, Rodimus only refraining from groaning at the lengthy report at the news of Necroworld.

"Great! We're here! That means everyone ready up and get into your separate pods!" He said, standing on an elevated platform. "Remember, our job now is to continue the side project that the Necrobot was doing! No one can quite do it like he did, but we can help.

"Swerve and crew reprogrammed the Legislators left from the Adaptus and Tyrest thing, and now they're going around the universe and recording deaths and births of Cybertronians!

"All that's left is that huge block of MIA names that the Necrobot left for us. That means we have to help out and cross off anyone on that list, or find them as soon as possible. We're splitting up, yes, but only temporarily!

"And remember the golden rule! Since some of us might be traveling in time and others will be traveling through the multiverse; DON'T interact with ANYONE who you're not saving. Also, don't die in the process - better them than you, because we really don't want to add _more_ names to the list!"

Some of the crew questioned the morality of his last statement, but only nodded and spoke amongst themselves. Soon they landed on Necroworld and everyone filed out of their spacecrafts. Megatron, Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, Ratchet, and Drift were the first ones to lay their eyes on the stone of missing names.

"Alright everyone, line up for your new assignment!" Rodimus called.

One by one each group of crew members was sent out through space and time, recovering or verifying the death of anyone on the MIA list. Slowly the list began diminishing, each name being assigned until finally it was the Rod-Squad's turn.

"Alright Rod-Squad! I'm afraid some of us are going to split up, but don't worry, some of you will get me and the others will be getting... well, you'll be getting Megs." Rodimus joked, earning an unamused expression from the ex-tyrant. "Anyways! Those of you who are with Megatron will be looking for (Y/N) of The Thymesis Mines of Luna 2...? Who ever that is, and the rest... with me...."

Rodimus's voice slowly faded out, Megatron's optics widening, his face-plates nearly paling. (Y/N)? They were on the Necrobot's list of MIA? Could... Could they still be alive? Even under all that rubble?

"Got that!?" Rodimus yelled once more, pulling Megatron out of his downward spiral.

"Megatron?" Terminus asked, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Did he leave them there while they were still alive? Did he abandon them? He should have searched for their body! He should have- "MEGATRON!" Terminus shouted, trying to get his attention. "Megatron... is there something wrong?"

"I know where they are... or at least I know where to start looking." Megatron said, his expression grim. "Because I left them there..."

Terminus gave a confused expression in return to his friend's cryptic words. "What do you mean?..."

Megatron hesitated - his talks with Rung coming to mind... it wouldn't be right unless he explained what happened when Terminus left.... and he did. Before they took off to look for (Y/N), Megatron sat down with Terminus and gave a thorough explanation of what happened between himself and (Y/N). Some of which still pained him to tell. Some of which was more painful to tell because they might've survived.

"Well then I suppose we shouldn't waste any time, should we?" Terminus asked, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder again.

"No, I suppose we shouldn't." He said standing up from his sitting position.

He laid his hand on the deactivated statue before him, not a single flower nearby.

"We're going to find you , bright-spark... I promise."


End file.
